


A Lot Riding

by quiet__tiger



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Drama, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-10-29 04:54:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10846884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quiet__tiger/pseuds/quiet__tiger
Summary: Bruce confesses his fears to Alfred.





	A Lot Riding

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place very soon after Dick comes to the manor.
> 
> Prompt: "Failure is not an Option."
> 
> Originally posted to Livejournal 18th-Aug-2010.

_Glum_. It was the only word Bruce had to accurately describe his ward. Dick was… Dick was one emotionally crushed and vulnerable little boy, and Bruce was at a loss. It took three weeks of awkward dinners, nightmares, and silence before Bruce gave up and sought out Alfred’s advice.

“What can I do to help him? I know I need to spend more time with him personally, and I will once this disagreement with LexCorp gets settled, but watching him the way he is now… What do I do?”

Alfred watched him, and Bruce hadn’t felt so examined since he told Alfred his plans for the Batman. After an uncomfortable, long few seconds, Alfred offered, “You remember being in his place, Master Bruce. Horrified, lonely, abandoned, angry. I was also at a loss for how to handle the hurt little boy you once were. But I made myself available, but did not hover, and eventually enough time passed for you to heal.”

“Is that really all I can do? I know it’s only been three weeks, but he barely speaks, barely eats, barely sleeps.”

“You were very similar for a longer period of time than that.”

“But it’s different.”

“How so?”

Feeling vulnerable himself, Bruce started to pace. He wasn’t sure how he’d grown so attached to the boy in his care, but somehow… “My parents named you as my guardian in their wills, and you were a long-time family friend and employee. Unless something went horribly wrong, I would remain with you. But now…” Bruce stopped pacing and fisted his hands in front of him. “I can lose him. Dick can be taken away from me if it’s proven that this is not a good home for him. If he doesn’t start to heal, the caseworker will see it and remove him from my custody.”

Looking slightly stricken, Alfred replied, “You must have faith, Master Bruce. In yourself, in me, and in your ward. He _will_ start to heal. You may not see it at first, but he will. The pain will lessen and he will grow comfortable in this oversized house. It will become his home. That tragically orphaned soul will be bright once again, the way he was when he was on the trapeze.”

Bruce didn’t dare tell Alfred he may be wrong, because Alfred was never wrong, and he knew a lot more about helping tragically orphaned souls than Bruce did. He wanted to help the boy, but he knew he was in over his head. He couldn’t help but worry about what could go wrong. Both for Dick and for himself. “I just can’t afford to fail, Alfred. Not that boy, and not… myself. He means a lot to me, and while I can’t quite figure out why, it’s true.”

Soul-baring wasn’t one of Bruce’s favorite activities, and Alfred knew that, which was why Alfred was assessing him again in his careful, seemingly omniscient way. “You see yourself in him, that much is obvious. I caution you on using him as a means to ease your own buried pain. You must focus on what you can do for Master Richard, not some way to work through your own demons. I fear that in _that_ you will be unsuccessful. Helping the boy will indeed help you, but not necessarily in whatever way you desire.”

Alfred smiled slightly, softening his words. “You will do right by him, Master Bruce. And he will heal. Mark my words.”

Still worried but trying not to show it, Bruce nodded. He would help Dick. He would help him heal, and he would provide for him whatever he needed. He did see himself in Dick, but he didn’t think that was detrimental. Alfred was wrong on that count. …But when was Alfred ever wrong?

All Bruce could do was be there for Dick, and he would be. The boy would smile again, and maybe even fly once more.


End file.
